Demigod Paradox
by The Gaming Knight
Summary: Matt comes from a time when the Mist is gone, come back to warn his parents about a weapon that can force an immortal to Fade, and fight the madman who started his future.
1. The Legacies of Poseidon and Athena

The Demigod Paradox

Legacies of Poseidon and Athena

My name is Matthew Jackson. My sister Eva was there when our mother died of a mysterious sickness. I was there when my father was murdered, by the last person anyone expected. When I say anyone, I'm including the murderer himself. My father's last words were ringing in my head for the months to follow.

"This isn't your fault. You have to get out of here. Promise me… go…" Jason took Anaklusmos, my father's sword, first used by Heracles against Ladon, guardian of the Hespirides apples. He said that when he died, Perseus Jackson wanted me to take it. The Scythe of Kronos was all that was left when my dad killed him thirty years ago. Backbiter was the source of Kronos' control over the flow of time, Uncle Jason used it to send me and my sister back to before Hecate was Erased and the Mist collapsed.

It was easy to find my bearings once the portal spat me out. I found myself on the top of Half-Blood Hill. I heard stories about Camp Half-Blood from my dad; it was his home before it merged with Camp Jupiter to make Camp Olympus. But I never expected it to look so much like home. There were stables just past the Strawberry fields to the west of the big house. The Cabins were in the very familiar Ω formation that was customary to Greek Demigod housing arrangements.

The Woods for the Capture the Flag games were on the northern side of the camp. Something was wrong though. The magic Barrier that kept the camp safe came down after I stepped beyond it. I looked at Thalia's Tree, a testament to the sacrifice my aunt made to keep my mom and her friends safe. Thalia herself was standing by the tree with some of her fellow Hunters of Artemis, who were pulling the Golden Fleece off of the branch it was placed on.

"What's happening?" I asked her. "Why are you taking the Fleece?"

"My tree is no longer needed to protect Camp Half-Blood," she said. "We're in the middle of merging camps with Romans. Why do you ask?"

"I'm looking for Percy Jackson." That one phrase got Thalia suspicious, but she took me to my dad, who was at Olympus, just where I needed to go.


	2. I Reveal Hades' Biggest Secret

I Reveal Hades' Biggest Secret

My father was in the throne room of Olympus, talking to the Olympians about the disappearances of Octavian, the Augurer of New Rome, Hecate, the Goddess of Magic and the Mist, and fifteen other Demigods and Legacies. The disappearances of Octavian and Hecate I could answer for certain. But not the others.

"My father's in the middle of an audience with my Cousin," Thalia said. "Unless it's urgent, and/or related to the topic of discussion, I wouldn't go in there." What I had to say was related to the current conversation… I threatened my very existence, and walked in there.

"Excuse me, my lords and ladies," I said, as I stepped in. "I believe that I have the answer to your questions." Every head in the room, including my father's turned to me.

"Who is this? Thalia?" Zeus asked.

"This is… actually I never got your name." I introduced myself as Matthew, leaving out my last name to avoid confusion amongst the gods. But Percy kept staring at me. Like he recognized Annabeth, or at least Athena, in me.

"Very well then," Gramps, uh, Poseidon said. "Brother, let us hear what the boy has to say." For the first time ever I saw Zeus nod in agreement.

So I started my story. "Alright, I come from a time thirty years into the future, a time when all mortals, not just Demigods and Legacies, once again fear the monsters of myth. A time when the Mist no longer exists." Hades rose out of his guest throne.

"How!? How did the Mist Collapse when there is a goddess of the Mist!? And Magic is something that isn't likely to be forgotten over the span of three Decades!"

"You remember the Kraken, don't you?" at the mention of the monster that wiped out most of the Titans, Hades grabbed his left forearm, which had a scar I never noticed before. "You should, you created it, now may I continue my explanation?" Hades nodded, I went on. "The Kraken has a power that only Hades knows about among the gods right now. But in my time, everyone knows about the Kraken's Erasure ability. With it, an Immortal can be forced to Fade." There was a quiet wave of unease washing over the gods on the thrones.

"Why have you yet to tell us this brother!?" Poseidon raged. "Do you know how much trouble we'd be in if the Kraken's power were in the Wrong hands!?"

If I were as big as Poseidon right then I would've pushed him down so that I could defend Hades, but I just went on to defending Hades.

"That's why he didn't tell _anyone_! So that the power wouldn't be used _against_ you! The secret only got out because the last host couldn't handle the power!" Poseidon sat back down. "As I was saying," I went on. "The Mist collapsed because the host of the Kraken Erased Hecate. And he was acting on Octavian's orders." I removed my sunglasses to show them my right eye, with the Mark like a monster about to eat it. "I am the Second host of the Kraken. I'm here to prevent my own future."


	3. The Paradox Starts

The Paradox Starts

My dad never let me out of his sight. It was under Zeus' orders though, so I understood why he did this. But what I didn't understand was why he volunteered. When we were headed for the new camp, which is now in Detroit, Michigan, my dad popped a huge Question.

"Who's your Immortal parent?" he asked.

"Don't have one," I said. "I'm not quite a Demigod, I'm the first Greek Legacy."

"Then… Who?" I stared at him for twenty seconds until he got the message; I didn't want to talk about it.

We reached the new camp to find a whole valley of construction. In my time, Minerva had forgiven the Romans and had a few kids of her own. The main reason that children of Minerva didn't exist before was Minerva hated Rome, not her oath of Eternal Maidenhood. When we got into the Valley, someone ran into my dad. I turned to look and found it was my mom, Annabeth Chase at the time. She was wearing a swimsuit that revealed what I always heard about her and her siblings, she has a belly-button.

"Oh! Percy!" she said as she got up. "I'm sorry, I should've watched where I was going."

"Don't worry about it," Percy said. Then he realized that I was right there. "Annabeth, this is Matthew… I don't remember getting your last name."

"I don't want to talk about it. And I know who she is. I know your kids personally."

"What did he just say?" Annabeth asked.

"He's technically younger than us by thirty years. He's from the future." I could've almost sworn Annabeth's mouth would never close again.

Then we got a visit from Athena. And that was the last time I ever want to see her scared.

"Mom?" Annabeth said. "What's wrong?"

"I've found Hecate," Athena said.

"Let me guess, Octavian has her hooked up to a magical artifact and is currently attacking Camp Jupiter," I heard about this from my dad two years before I went back. I was twelve at the time I went back.

"You really are from the future," Athena said. "Yes, Hecate is being used as a magic battery, but not for an Artifact, this is a fairly new Automaton."

I also brought back my Pegasus Partner, Astor. He's golden and reminds me of the golden Eagle of Zeus. I don't have the same connection to horses that my dad does, so I have a special whistle for whenever I need him. Riding Astor and Blackjack we reached the former site of Camp Jupiter, a safe-haven for Roman Demigods and their kids. Set ablaze by a copy of Starscream from the Decepticons in _Transformers. _Somehow I doubted that was the original inspiration. It had two shapes to it, one which looked human with various pieces of jet machinery, and then there was the jet form.

_Holy Hera!_ I heard Astor say. _How do we fight THAT!?_

"I don't know buddy," I said. "But we have to, or everyone in the valley will be killed." Then I noticed the Aqueducts. It was a reckless decision, but I had to do it, not just for the people, but for my dad. It was time he knew who I was. "Astor get me close to the Aqueducts." He flew right over them, and I jumped off focusing on the water. The water in the Aqueducts swallowed me in, and I re-formed the water to look like a monster of my own. I'm sure that my dad's jaw dropped there. I threw all of the mass against the Automaton and pulled out Hecate and the central control. It might not be much, but I did inherit something from my mom besides long blond hair.

Percy and Annabeth were staring at me, mouths open, blinking in unison when Astor brought me back.

"Okay, I think you need to tell me now," Percy said. "Who Are You!?" to make the answer more believable I pulled out Riptide and clicked it (its sheathed state got a makeover of sorts). Percy stared at the celestial bronze weapon with awe on his face as the realization dawned on him.

"My name is Matthew Jackson. Matt, for short. I'm your Son."


	4. My Past Comes Back to Haunt Me

My Past Comes Back to Haunt Me

Astor looked at me with a face that asked what was on his mind: _Boss! Are you insane!_

"What the horse said!" my dad exclaimed. "Why would you tell us that now!? And how can you be my son!? I'm too young to be your father!"

"Time Travel," I said with an annoyed tone. "I come from Thirty Years in the Future! Have you forgotten already!?"

Percy was silent for a minute. "Oh yeah. How bad is the future that my son has to come back to stop it?"

"Let me put it this way, Octavian killed the only demigod who could stop him. That'd be you."

Percy took me to the meeting hall at Camp Olympus. "But why does he want to… what does he want to do, again?"

"He wants to destroy New Rome and the Greeks. As for why… what did Octavian want above all else when he found out that the Greeks existed?"  
"War," Annabeth said. "Which never happened."

"Exactly, he wanted war, and when the Romans wouldn't have it he decided to wipe them out and start over," I explained. "He also decided to reveal the world of Myth to the mortals so that they'd follow him."

"Which he accomplished by erasing Hecate," Percy deduced. "But the Kraken's host he had couldn't handle it."

"So he went with option B," I finished. "He decided to use me to wipe out the Greeks and Romans."

"Wait… you?" Percy said.

"The Kraken is a monster of a special breed. It can't exist without a suitable host, a child of two demigods whose parents hate each other. A child… such as myself."

"Parents hate each other?" Annabeth asked. "You don't mean!?"

"That's right… Mom." The door opened and my sister, Eva walked in. She has black hair and silver eyes with the face of Athena herself. Behind her were Reyna and Jason the Praetors of New Rome.

"Eva explained the situation to us," Reyna said. "But Octavian wouldn't do this! He loves Rome with everything he has!" I probably shouldn't have said anything.

"That kind of thinking is what got you killed trying to negotiate with him!" the horror on Reyna's face was greater than mine when my dad died.

"Hey, Matt?" Percy asked. "How did I die?"

I looked down in shame, hoping that my dad wouldn't feel betrayed over this. "You were killed by the one person you trusted with your life… the one person who had no reason or desire to kill you… let's leave it at that." I hoped he could forgive me for more than just leaving out a name.


	5. I Get Insanely Mad

I Get Insanely Mad

Over the next week, Octavian launched four attacks on Camp Olympus, each one involving some form of Monster. Hydras, the Minotaur, even Hellhounds. We could suppress the attackers each time without major losses. That all changed the fifth time Octavian's Army attacked. Octavian himself was there.

It started as a good enough day. Breakfast, training, sharpening Riptide. It was so normal I was almost bored. Then my dad's friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, walked in on me and my dad sparring to keep up our skill for whenever Octavian would strike again. She had a look in her eyes that said that she was about to give a prophecy.

_"The Half-Blood son to the eldest gods,_

_ Who slew all Hell against all odds,_

_ Shall be struck down by one of a kind,_

_ And forgiven is the son with the warped mind."_

I remembered this prophecy. It was because of Octavian that it came true. And I can explain what happened. But I'd rather leave that up to your imagination. Dad was about to ask if Rachel was okay, but the enchanted ribbon I always wear around my bicep reacted to nearby danger. I spun around Rachel and parried a spear thrust that would've impaled the oracle. The guy holding the spear was the last guy I ever wanted to see after my dad died.

"Octavian!"

"So, you're Matthew?" Octavian said. It was kinda hard not to hate this guy especially with his sandy hair and trouble-maker face. "I've heard stories about you." This part caught me off guard.

"Who told you about me!?" I yelled. I knocked the spear out of his hands and held Riptide to his throat. "GIVE ME A NAME!" I got what I wanted. And it made me even more hateful.

"Zachary Chase." My cousin, the son of Demeter. It's because of him that my promise to John couldn't be kept. And Elizabeth died in my arms. I'll explain that later.

I was blind to everything except Octavian. I kept slashing at him, cutting through all the defenses he called for. I would've killed him. But there was one defense I couldn't get through. He had Melinoe with him. The face I saw in goddess' place was my father.

"Why did you do this!?" the image said. "I _trusted_ you! John _trusted_ you! Elizabeth _trusted_ you! How could you betray us!?"

I couldn't snap out of this madness. As the ghosts I had on my back piled up in front of me, I had to let out a wail of pain and fear. Finally it was over, and I found myself lying on the ground of the arena.


	6. My Dad's Favorite Mistake

My Dad's Favorite Mistake

My dad and I never spoke about what happened until mom found something out about herself. Let's just say that I wasn't their first kid. The baby would survive, I could tell them that, and they'd name him Jonathan Jackson.

"John…" I looked at mom every time and thought about the promise I couldn't keep.

"Why are you so sad?" Percy asked one day. "What's so special about John that makes you so sad?" it was then that I remembered the day that Zack betrayed me. I told my dad about it.

I was fighting Octavian's army alongside Zack and John twenty five years into my time.

"Heh," Octavian said. "You are Camp Olympus' best fighters?"

"Get Real!" I yelled at him. "Look which one of us is winning!"

"True, but there's one trick I have up my sleeve!" Octavian yelled back. "You're so blind you didn't even figure out that you've been betrayed!"

It was then that Zack turned his sword on John Mortally wounding him. I was so shocked that it happened; I couldn't even register the pain of being cut on the left shoulder. I looked at Zack and rage set in.  
"Zack…" I clenched my fists. "It trusted you!" I lunged at him, just missing his neck by an inch. My knife plunged into his arm and got Octavian under the eye.

"We have no further business here," Octavian said. "Zack! The portal!" Zack pulled a green pendant out of his pocket and they disappeared.

I ran over to John.

"For the both of us," John said with a smile. "Live, and make sure that Elizabeth lives a happy life." It was then that John died, and I swore that I would avenge him any way I could.

Two years later, Elizabeth was killed by Zack's sword too, and she wasn't even a threat! There must've been some reason that Zack joined Octavian. Whatever it was, I couldn't wait to bash in his skull for it.

"That's some dark stuff," dad said. "So the baby that Annabeth has is John?"

"Yeah. You always called him your favorite mistake, even though he didn't have any powers to him, he was just average and you two still loved him like the son he was." I looked out into the distance with sadness. "He always treated me like a brother, no matter what I did. He was the best brother I could ask for."

"And that's why you swore to kill Zack? Because he took your brother?" I couldn't look him in the eye.

"Not quite… it does have something to do with John, but I don't want anyone else to suffer for what Zack did." I pointed to the ribbon at the back of my head. "I got this off Elizabeth, as a reminder of the Promise I couldn't keep. I have all those ghosts that Melinoe showed because of Octavian. I can't forgive myself for their deaths yet."


	7. I Keep a Promise

I Keep a Promise

My dad never asked for anything for the next month. There was nothing personal behind anything that he did ask. I like to think he was trying to give me a break from all of that stuff I unloaded on him. But it didn't work. Then the end of the month came around, and something happened that made me get over all of it at once.

I went to check on my mom, which had become a repetitive thing for me. I entered the Athena chamber to find the last person I wanted to see standing over Annabeth.

"Zack!" I shouted. He looked at me with shock, not sure why because he followed me here.

"You aren't supposed to be here Matt!" Zack shouted. "Why are you here!? They'd never forgive you for what you did to them!"

"They did!" I bluffed. Truth is I still didn't tell them about who really killed my dad. "Get away from my mother before I have your head sent to Octavian on a silver platter!" My mother looked at me confused ready to ask a question, but apparently deciding it wouldn't be wise. Zack drew a knife from the sheath on his forearm. He grabbed her by the hair and held the knife to her throat.

"You wanna be the hero? Then come get me! Cut off my head and send it to Octavian already!" I kicked him between the legs hard as I could. And then cut off his head.

"Never let it be known that I'm not a man of my word," I said.

"Matt?" Mom asked. I turned around to see what she wanted. "Never mind. It's stupid that I'd think you'd tell me that."

"No it's okay, ask."

"What did Zack mean, when he said we'd never forgive you?"

"Oh, that really is a stupid question! Umm… I'd rather talk about it when dad's here… so he'll hear the whole story as it happened."


	8. I Am Forgiven

I Am Forgiven

My parents and Eva were sitting at the fire pit twenty minutes later. I was standing getting ready to tell them the truth about how dad died. Eventually I told them.

My dad and I were fighting Octavian. Two on one. Octavian had become a master magician, maybe even rivaling the power of Circe who tricked my father into turning into a guinea pig and tempted my mother to study magic. Every spell that was thrown at us was countered with a physical swing of our swords. Eventually we fought him with our weapons against his, a magic spear which gave us a slight disadvantage. Eventually, dad did manage to hurt him enough to catch him off guard and make him bleed out.

Octavian wasn't going down without a fight. He cast one final spell at my dad, saying something disturbing.

"This isn't over!" with that a ball of red energy shot at my dad and I pushed him out of the way.

"Matt! Are you alright!?"

"I'll be fine dad," I assured.

"Well it's finally over," He lifted me up to see the disintegrating corpse of Octavian on the ground of Olympus. "Thanks to you we've won the day." Then things started to get bloody. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I don't know," I said. Then it got really hard to hear anything and then I felt something like a blade going into someone else's flesh. When things became clear again I saw my sword sticking out of my father's side. I looked at my hand to see it bloody.

"This isn't your… fault… you have to… get out of here… promise me… go…" my father died there and I was so mad that I released the Kraken on Octavian's soul before dragging the body back to camp to be burned.

Back in the here and now my dad was looking at me with shock. My mother was holding his arm so tight I swear it would've cut off circulation if she held on any tighter. There were tears on the side of both Eva's face and mine… tears that stained my very spirit.

"Wow… so that's why… my ghost is…" My dad said. "But the way you tell this story it's like I already forgave you." I didn't understand what he meant, at first.

"I think I get it," Mom said. "He wouldn't have said it wasn't your fault if he didn't think that. He is your father after all."

"Still…" I tried to put my next problem into words. "I kept your death from you, I murdered you and didn't tell you about it."

"Because it hurt to remember it," Dad said. "I can forgive you for not telling me, and for killing me." He stood up and hugged me like a man. I missed it. I went without it for so long that… I forgot what family really means. Well, from that point on, I'd be working to protect it.


End file.
